A generation ago young people longed to become lawyers and doctors. Now they desire to be the next Oscar winner or famous pop star. But one university psychologist has pointed out that this is damaging our self-image and sense of self-worth. Over recent years people around the world have been suffering from an increasing fear of their own “insignificance”, according to Dr. Strenger of Tel Aviv University.

He began a project on the phenomenon 10 years ago, after noticing an increase of fear in his own patients. His findings note hundreds of research projects that have recorded an unprecedented (前所未有) increase in levels of anxiety and depression. By using a wide-ranging framework Dr. Strenger thinks he has given the accurate cause. “The impact of the global entertainment network on the individual is to blame,” he said. “A new species—global man—is born and we are defined by our close connection to the global entertainment network, which has turned ranking and evaluating people according to wealth and fame into an obsession (狂热).”

As humans we naturally measure ourselves by those around us, but now we live in a “global village” where we are comparing ourselves with the most “significant” people in the world - and finding ourselves not good enough. Today, even high achievers constantly fear that they are insignificant when they compare themselves to success stories in the media. “This creates highly unstable personality and an unstable society,” Dr. Strenger said.

Dr. Strenger says people should stop measuring their achievement through the cultural fantasies of rich and famous people. The remedy (治疗方法) is a process that he calls “active self-acceptance” through a continuing search for self-knowledge through life. The fear of insignificance can only be overcome through strong individual and cultural identity over and above measurable achievement. “People should invest time and thought in their personal growth from different aspects in the same way they invest in medical studies and law school,” Dr. Strenger advises.

When people introduce themselves, I always hear them say “I’m just a housewife”. I don’t understand why their introduction is always filled with regret and self-pity. Is it really a shame to be a housewife? Is it really embarrassing (尴尬的) when you choose not to work outside and instead choose to work in your home?

How could you be “just a housewife” when the basic social unit of society depends on you and your service? A housewife works for the longest hour, supporting your husband, child studies, caring for elders, managing finances, paying bills, grocery shopping, cooking according to individual taste, cleaning, etc. A housewife could be anyone: daughter, wife, mother, teacher, financial advisor, fashion designer and nurse, gardener, driver, cook, and so on. Don’t think you are not being paid for it. You get the reward that no money can offer—the love and affection of your family, their trust for you, a happy home and your own satisfaction.

It is you who choose to be in this occupation, willingly or for any other reason. After a busy day, all wait to return to the comfortable home set by you. They know you will be there to take in all their stress and tiredness and relax them. Would the life have been the same if you had been working outside to earn some money? Would you along with your family have been able to buy all the content in life that you are enjoying now with that money?

Respect yourself for what you are. Introduce yourself to the world with the same dignity (尊严). The world understands the importance of your job; it’s time to make them accept it. Introduce yourself with pride and with twinkle in your eyes “I am a housewife”. Kick that “just” out.

Dear editor,

You can find language pollution whenever you open a newspaper or turn on your TV set, listen to a popular song at various advertisements. Language pollution exists almost everywhere and can be seen in the following places:

1,Chinese characters are written in the complex (复杂的 ) form. Although simplified（简化的） Chinese characters were accepted for use many years ago, it seems that more and more people like Chinese characters written in the complex form.

2, Many goods are produced in China but carry foreign names, which sound strange and have no meaning at all.

3,Words and expressions being used have a bad meaning. "Ba"(霸), which means bully in Chinese, is one example. Now there are a lot of goods, restaurants, even factories or firms, with "Ba" in their names.

4,There are too many incorrect grammatical expressions. Some films have strange names and incorrect grammatical structures. "Ai ni mei shang liangˈ, which means "I love you without consulting", is grammatically incorrect and this kind of expression is now becoming popular.

Some language experts point out that language pollution must be done away with, which is an idea shared by myself and many others.         

Fan Yongqian

With more and more cars on the road, traffic jams are inevitable. Traffic jams can lead to increased accidents as there are more cars, with more people trying to get to their destination, all the while getting worse. Although it’s impossible to avoid traffic jams altogether, there are some tips you can follow to reduce the amount of time on the road.

Check for traffic jams before you leave.You can listen to the radio for traffic news, or check on the Internet to get up-to-minute information on traffic. If the route you want to take is heavy with traffic, you can choose another.

Look for a different route all the time.Most traffic jams happen on busy roads. Using country roads could see you avoiding a lot of traffic. Although the distance you may have to travel is further, it can work out quicker.

Set your car radio to receive traffic news. Many a car is equipped with a radio system by which you can hear the traffic channel. This way you can get the latest traffic information and change your journey if necessary.

Try traveling at different time.Most traffic jams usually occur during rush hour, so try to avoid this time period if possible. Some jobs offer flexible working hours so that you can travel to work outside of rush hour. Some jobs even allow you to work at home so as to avoid moving altogether. Ask your manager to see what you can do if traffic is a problem for you.

Use public transport.The easiest way to avoid traffic jams is to take buses or the underground instead of driving your own car. Not only will you avoid traffic jams but you will most likely be saving money as the cost of motoring rises.

Like all big cities, Paris has a traffic problem: lots of cars, lots of traffic jams and lots of pollution from exhaust fumes (废气). So the city began a scheme (计划) to improve the situation.

Under the Velib scheme (‘Velib’ comes from vélo liberté, or ‘bicycle freedom’) people can take a bicycle, use it for as long as they want, and then leave it at the same or another bicycle station. The first half-hour on the bike is free, but if you don’t return it after 30 minutes, you have to pay. But it’s only −1 aday or −29 ayear! The bicycles are heavy (25 kg), and they are all grey and have baskets. There are about 20,000 of them in the city, and around 1,450 bicycle stations. So there are a lot more Velib stations than the 298 subway stations!

Paris is not the first city to have a scheme like this. But not everybody thinks it’s a great idea. One Parisian said, “These bicycles are only for short journeys. If people want to travel across the city, they won’t use a bicycle — they’ll still use their cars.”

A city spokesman said, “The bicycle scheme won’t solve all our traffic problems, of course. But it might help reduce air pollution. Traffic, together with factory fumes, is a big problem. There aren’t any simple answers to traffic problems and pollution in cities. But unless we do something now, there will be more traffic jams and temperatures will continue to rise, so the problems in our environment will get worse. The bikes might help people to lead a healthier life, too.”

When we want to tell other people what we think, we can do it with the help of words. We can also do it in many other ways, too. Sometimes we move our heads up and down when we want to say “yes”, and we shake our heads when we want to say “no”. Some people can’t hear or speak. They talk with the help of gestures（手势）.People from other countries often have to do it if they don’t know your language.

Here is a story. An American was once having his holiday inItaly, but he could not speak Italian. One day he went to a restaurant and sat down at a table. When the waiter came, the American opened his mouth, put his fingers in it and took them out again. In this way he wanted to say “Bring me something to eat”. The waiter soon brought him a cup of tea. The American shook his head and the waiter understood that he didn’t want tea. So he took it away and brought him a glass of milk. The American shook his head again. He was very hungry now and looked sad. He was just going to leave the restaurant when another man came in. When this man saw the waiter, he put his hands on his stomach(胃). In a few minutes there was a large plate of bread and meat on the table in front of him.